my tightly wound Ball
I have a tightly wound ball of worry right in the middle of my chest.
My tightly wound, the ball makes me feel like I have control.
But also restricts my breath and thus my spirit.
What if I change the shape of this festering ball?
What if I start at the center and unravel it?
What would it take to cut the ball into pieces so small they would dissolve
and fade away with no effort of my own?
I might start by trusting the process just a bit more.
“Letting there be room for not knowing is the most important thing of all.” – Pema Chödrön
beautiful light can change our perspective
Beautiful light won’t bring these flower back to life but the light changes the perspective of how I see this bouquet of dead flowers.
changing your perspective can change your opinion
As we welcome back the light with the winter solstice we have the opportunity to observe and change our perceptive just a bit, as we step into the new year.
People are not disturbed by things, but by the view they take of them ~ Epictetus
In winter everything appears dead
During the winter where I live, the light is beautiful but there isn’t enough of it.
nature is does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished – Lao Tzu
The colors of nature are all earth tones and it seems like we’re encouraged to use this time be quiet and reflective, more this year than any other.
But there’s a pull to be festive and flashy and always a certain amount of pressure to get into the holiday spirit. So, the colors that are all around us are, fire engine red and forest green and bright shiny silver, those colors are so full of energy.energy that personally I don’t have right now.
I’ll take my lead from nature, and practice pausing and allowing to restore and appreciate the beauty of the trees without leaves.
finding balance
Seeking all kinds of art helps me keep my life in balance, when it’s tipping to one side or the other. The quest of finding balance and finding inspiration.
just to be alive
on this fresh morning
in this broken world... Mary Oliver
Invitation by Mary Oliver
Oh do you have time
to linger
for just a little while
out of your busy
and very important day
for the goldfinches
that have gathered
in a field of thistles
for a musical battle,
to see who can sing
the highest note,
or the lowest,
or the most expressive of mirth,
or the most tender?
Their strong, blunt beaks
drink the air
as they strive
melodiously
not for your sake
and not for mine
and not for the sake of winning
but for sheer delight and gratitude –
believe us, they say,
it is a serious thing
just to be alive
on this fresh morning
in the broken world.
I beg of you,
do not walk by
without pausing
to attend to this
rather ridiculous performance.
It could mean something.
It could mean everything.
It could be what Rilke meant, when he wrote:
You must change your life.
My faithful companion
Everyday I walk my dog. I’m not sure if it’s for her or me.
She’s a rescue. We think she was about 3 years old when we brought her home. One of my kids wanted a dog soo bad, but as the story goes, she has become my doggie and alas I’m the leader!
Over time I’ve seen many things on our walks from different people and their dogs, along with wildlife. And people have said a lot of things to me or my dog during that time.
“I thought you were walking a fox”
“She looks just like a fox”
“She looks just like a fox, what kind of dog is she?”
These comments happen often but I really think she looks like a wolf.
But the one person that stands out – I was walking my dog on the greenbelt near my house and ended up in another neighborhood. As I’m walking west on the right side of a quiet street, a car is driving east on the left side. The driver stops the car in the middle of the street and looks at my dog and says – Adorable, just adorable.
Her gesture and her comments made it seem like she was someone that was offering encouragement on my path.